xlvi 



Thirty-third Annual Report 



BOAT-BUILDING. 



Owing to the unparalleled success of the fishing of 1913, the early 

 months of 1914 witnessed a boom in the building of both steam drifters 

 and steam trawlers. So great, indeed, was the rush to acquire the 

 first-named type that many builders were compelled to refuse orders, 

 and prospective owners had to fall back upon second-hand English 

 vessels, which, owing to the keen demand, in some cases realised 

 more than their prime cost. When war broke out, however, the 

 situation rapidly changed, and wherever possible orders for drifters 

 were cancelled. In the case of trawlers, on the contrary, the demands 

 was unaffected by the war, and builders were exceptionally busy 

 throughout the whole year. At both Leith and Dundee, the building 

 of trawlers was resumed after having been in abeyance for several 

 years, and many orders were still on hand at Aberdeen and Leith 

 at the close of the j^ear. 



Notwithstanding the collapse which occurred in drifter building, 

 there was an increase, as compared with 1913, of 20 in the number of 

 these vessels launched, while the number of all types built during the 

 year was the largest since 1908. 



In all, 63 steam drifters were built during 1914, as against 43 in 

 the preceding year. The average cost per vessel was £2912, or 

 nearly 6 per cent, more than in 1913. Forty of these vessels were 

 built to the order of Moray Firth fishermen, while 6 were ordered from 

 England, and most of the remainder from Fraserburgh. 



The number of sailing and motor boats built was the same as in 

 1913, viz. 129, but the" value shows a decrease of £6097. This is 

 accounted for by the falling ofE in the demand for the largest first-class 

 boats, none of which was constructed during the year, while only 10 

 of from 30 to 45 feet of keel were built, as compared with 20 in the 

 preceding year. Second-class boats of from 18 to 30 feet of keel show 

 a decrease of 5 in number, but an increase of £300 in value, while as 

 regards third-class boats (under 18 feet of keel) there was an increase 

 of 17 in number and £213 in value. The number of motor boats 

 actually built was small, but the installation of motors into existing 

 sailing boats provided a considerable amount of employment for 

 boat builders on different parts of the coast. 



Of steam trawlers 54 were constructed, at a cost of £381,500, or an 

 average of £7065 each, these figures representing increases of 23, 

 £180,000, and £565 respectively upon the figures for the preceding year. 

 Twenty-five of these vessels were built for English owners, twenty- 

 two were for Aberdeen, and seven for Granton. 



BARREL MAKING. 



As fully 80 per cent, of the 4,000,000 or 5,000,000 cwts. of herrings 

 now landed annually around the coasts of Scotland is cm'ed in pickle, 

 generally for consumption on the Continent, the manufacture of the 

 package for the reception and transport of the cured article is in 

 Itself an important industry. The Scottish herring barrel is standard- 

 ised both as regards size and workmanship by Regulations made by the 



